A man encountered two bears while heading to a sightseeing spot in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on April 25.

The 50-year-old tourist said that one of the bears, both more than 1 meter long, approached him.

He kicked the animal in the face to chase it away.

The man said he continued his trip to see the Hiyokunotaki falls before contacting the police about the bear encounter.

Police said that the tourist apparently has experience in karate and that he twisted his right leg when kicking the bear but was otherwise not injured.

*Footage of the bear was shot by the man who encounterd the bears